Visitor etiquette

Staying with relatives I do strip the bed but with friends I would ask first. I would never demean my host by taking my own towels. I would be most upset if anyone brought towels with them to my house.

I make it up again straight away and then use a bedspread to keep it nice and clean and dust-free

I wouldn't want my guests to strip the bed as I leave it until the next visitors are coming when, the day before the are due, I strip and change the bed so it is nice and fresh for them.

I once stripped the bed to be helpful and wished I hadn't, the pillows and duvet were stained and quite put me off. It was distant relatives and haven't had to go back thank goodness!

In a hotel I strip the bed to ensure I have not left anything in it.

Otherwise ask your host. When I have been staying over at my co granny's on a baby sit I ask her if I should just remake the bed as It is probably me who will be in it next.

I do like to pull the bed back to let it air before remaking it.

I usually strip the beds if we stay at DD's house, but I wouldn't do it in a hotel, just pull the bedding back to air the bed. If I stayed at anyone else's house I would ask if they want me to strip the bed before we leave. I was very surprised when we stayed at a rather expensive apartment to find a 'polite notice' asking us to strip the bed before we left!

Some visitors to our house have been known to make the bed nicely before they leave - as if I am going to leave used sheets on for someone else!

I have been a chambermaid for years and although it is lovely to see that hotel guests have stripped the bed,I would never ask my guests at home to do this.

I would never strip the bed and do not expect my guests to do it. They are after all guests.

Obviously non of you has ever been a chamber maid. You don't know the joy when you open a door and the bed has been stripped.

I'd ask and my DDs always ask. I don't strip the bed when it's been one of ours staying just in case they are the next ones back! Though that system has it's flaws because I can never remember how long the sheets have been on. I would always change them before someone different came.

It is polite to ask.

I only want the sofabed in the sitting room stripped, I can deal with the other rooms but I do like to get my sitting-room back asap! I was a bit bemused when one couple wanted to keep it down all day and lounge on it in front of our tv.

I always ask, one grandmother said 'Never strip your bed, it implies that your hosts don't have any servants'. The other one just looked at me when I told her that, and said 'Get on with it!'.

I can understand now why they never got on!

We usually take our own towels and ask if host would like us to bring our own bedding. Most say no but thanks for the offer!

If staying with friends I ask if they would like me to strip the bed, I'd never do it in a b&b or hotel.

Big 'thank-yous' to the last 4 posters (and others). I feel so much better now. I've just chucked DD and DGS's duvet covers, sheets and p. cases in the washing machine. They stayed in August !
We stayed with friends for 2 nights in the New Year , and whilst having coffee before we left on the Sunday morning I noticed our bed linen was out on the line. Felt a bit as if our hosts couldn't wait to get rid of us ....maybe they couldn't

I've never considered doing this. Probably because I'm a bit slack set up and wouldn't usually do the washing straightaway. My DD1 stayed over a fortnight ago, and I haven't stripped the bed yet.

I've had visitors ask if they should strip the beds and I always say no. If I'm the guest I just ask, and so far no one has said yes.

I just ask what would be most help - to strip my bed or not.

I prefer to strip the guest bed when I am ready to wash the sheets, that way the room remains tidy.

I certainly don't do it in a B & B or hotel, I just leave the top turned down so its obvious which beds have been slept in.

Would never do it in a hotel or B&B!

If a guest in a friend's house I say 'I'll just pop up and strip the beds' and most accept the offer.

Sometimes though people are busy packing and organising children, etc., so they may forget.

I would do so if staying at a holiday rental because it means that when the cleaners come in they know which beds have been used but would never strip the bed if I was staying with a friend.

I hadn't ever thought this through and I have never stripped the beds when visiting or expected visitors to do it. I wouldn't do it in a hotel.What I do like is for visitors to leave soon after breakfast on the day of departure so that by the time they have collected everything together they don't really have the time. As others have said I prefer to do it in my own time and not have the pressure of doing the washing or linen hanging about.

The last time I stayed at my cousins she asked me not to strip the bed as she wasn't doing the washing for a few days and didn't want the dirty laundry lying around.

I never do this, when I am a guest ( you are exactly that, a guest) and I would prefer my visitors not to tear off the bedding, but leave me to do it at my own pace.I think the best thing to do if unsure is ask your host if they would prefer one thing or another.

I always strip the bed if I am away visiting even at my DD's house. I do it in hotels and guest houses or B&B's too, and leave them folded in the bathroom with the towels.